Ship Builds & Load Outs Autopilot module(s) ideas

[Muttley]

Woof peoples!

Been chatting in IRC about some ideas for implementing autopilot modules in the game.
A few ideas have been thrown about including...

*Different classes of AP: Simple 1 target of destination port, Allowing multi system jumps etc
*Frameshift Drive Cooldown extended when using
*Easier to be interdicted
*Module failure possibly leading to misjumps in multi system travel
*Warning text showing the pilot you are in AP mode and could be at risk
*Lore regarding it coming back into use: Could even say that it was technology that was
developed before, and abandoned because of
reliablility problems, but brought back due to
overwhelming demand.
*Restrictions on use based on module class(and not being able to use in combat)
this one could have AP target restrictions IE: Number of jump/destination targets and not
being able to select ships as targets.

One of the valid concerns brought up was players complaining about having their ship on
AP mode and going afk and complaining about loss of ship from being interdicted and
attacked. I personally felt that this wouldnt bother me as thats the risks you take when
you use the module.

Anyways its some food for thought for the players and Devs. Please comment your thoughts
on this. And add any other ideas you think could be added if such a module was added to the
came.

Cheers folks.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Auto-pilot has been discussed many times. We're not getting one.

 

[MickyG1982]

Auto-pilot has been discussed many times. We're not getting one.

Ever!

It simply isn't required.

 

[Rygir]

Indeed...because it's so much fun waiting 10 minutes flying in a straight line to a station 100 000Ls away.

I'd like to point out that the autopilot made Frontier:Elite 2 /Frontier First Encounters MORE fun.

 

[MickyG1982]

Indeed...because it's so much fun waiting 10 minutes flying in a straight line to a station 100 000Ls away.

I'd like to point out that the autopilot made Frontier:Elite 2 /Frontier First Encounters MORE fun.

There is a reason for that...

The fully Newtonian flight model was utterly impossible to fly properly unless you were an astrophysicist.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Indeed...because it's so much fun waiting 10 minutes flying in a straight line to a station 100 000Ls away.

I'd like to point out that the autopilot made Frontier:Elite 2 /Frontier First Encounters MORE fun.

Autopilot and time-compression made travel / combat in those two games possible and not mind-numbingly protracted.

 

[SG Cersed 1]

An auto-pilot would be kinda cool, but at the same time it would kill some of the purpose in the game.

 

[Robert Maynard]

An auto-pilot would be kinda cool, but at the same time it would kill some of the purpose in the game.

.... but apparently travelling back to fetch a different ship is a barrier to gameplay that requires to be lowered - which effectively means that travel is an inconvenience.

Who knows, we may well get an auto-pilot the way things seem to be going.

 

[SG Cersed 1]

Agreed. I already commented on the other thread too. I would be fine with calculating all the fuel and jump range, hiring a pilot all that.

 

[Muttley]

.... but apparently travelling back to fetch a different ship is a barrier to gameplay that requires to be lowered - which effectively means that travel is an inconvenience.

Who knows, we may well get an auto-pilot the way things seem to be going.

Yeah I was kinda disappointed with how this feature is implemented. I like the idea of having a ship transferred, but not instantaneously. If it took the same time to be transported as it would to fly in-game
I would like it better. I personally am working on getting all my ships into one station which will be my base of operations. but i am using sidewinders to get myself between the stations with my ships. I
currently have 3 ships I am slowly upgrading for different purposes(Exploration/Combat/Missions & Trade). I get the idea behind it. You see a mission that looks fun but don't have the right ship. I don't mind
personally if I miss out because I'm not in a ship equipped for that mission. That's half the fun of the game for me. Trying to be in the right place at the right time.

But back on topic. It would be nice to have the autopilot running while I do things in game in the background like viewing the Galaxy Map or using comms with other Pilots.

 

[Zebaoth]

And additional landing computer would be nice,
allowing automated landing procedure on planets when under 2km altitude.

 

[Gavin Burke]

If ED was just going to turn into an auto pilot exploration game, I would've just carried on playing EVE.

I don't see a place for auto-pilot in a first person based game.

 

[Muttley]

And additional landing computer would be nice,
allowing automated landing procedure on planets when under 2km altitude.

The auto dock already works on planets. Or do you mean rough landing?

 

[Winterwalker]

Personally I think there are interesting things the game could do with auto-pilots, that don't detract from the basic premise; that you are a Commander "responsible" for the operation of your ship. I don't think interstellar AP's are appropriate as I don't believe in automated gameplay but I also don't think a level automation has to be a bad thing if implemented right.

I think cool to be able to hand off, in a form of executive control for basic navigational flight. This definitely should have effects like raising your SC signature, increasing chance of interdiction and meaning you can't safely go AFK. Flight times would be slower, so there would be no advantage, other than the fact that you have a type of cruise control that's standard on Y2K airliners and cars. If you could program in-system waypoints, producing sightseeing tours, for me this would only add to ED as "different ways to play the game". I personally wouldn't care if you could explore like this, as long as there's a certain skill level in programming slingshot planet approaches, and the like.